In many types of fishing it is desirable to be able to use more than one fishing rod for various reasons. Among these reasons are that it can be useful to have several rods with a different type of lure attached to each rod for lure fishing, or while bait fishing it can be useful to have several rods set out so that several baits can be in the water at any given time. In either case, carrying numerous fishing rods simultaneously can be awkward because many fishing rods are comparatively lengthy and because modern rod and reel combinations have a plurality of guides positioned along the length of the rod for guiding the fishing line. Not only can these guides become tangled with each other or catch on surrounding structure, they also hold the fishing line out away from the rod, creating the likelihood of tangling several rods and their respective fishing lines together. It is useful, therefore, to have a device which can carry several rods in an orderly fashion and spaced apart a sufficient amount to insure that there is no interference between the rods themselves, their reels, the guides or the fishing lines.
In the case of bait fishing, it can also be helpful to have a support or stand which will support several rods at approximately 45.degree. from the horizontal in a secure fashion, so that the bait can be cast into the water and then the rod placed on the holder. If the holder is properly configured and sufficiently heavy, and if the rod mounts on the holder are sufficiently secure, the holder can secure the rod against being lost when a fish takes the bait. A properly configured holder would also position the rod and reel combination so that it can be easily picked up by the fisherman in order to play the fish or to set the hook. Here again, it is essential that the placement of the rods be so that there will be no tangling among the various rods positioned on the single rod holder.
Finally, in the case of lure fishing, even though the fisherman fishes with only one rod and reel combination at a time, he may desire to have several lures ready to use, depending upon the depth of water encountered, the clarity of the water, the type and amount of vegetation in the water, and even depending upon the vegetation surrounding the water. A lure fisherman will therefore frequently desire to have two or three or even more rods rigged with different lures and ready for use. It is desirable to have a rod holder which the lure fisherman can use to hold his rods in an easily accessible position while preventing tangling among the various rods on the holder.
Many fisherman will fish with lures or with bait at various times depending upon the season and the type of fish being sought. Therefore, a given fisherman may require a rod holder which can be used as a carrier or as a holder for bait fishing or as a holder or rack for the numerous rods used in lure fishing. It can also be highly desirable to have a rod holder upon which the rods can be stored in between fishing trips.